§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the International Confederation of Trade Unions about the use of forced labour in Burma. [157468]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI have had no discussions with the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU) on this issue. I am concerned about the use of forced labour in Burma. The ICFTU co-operates closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). We fully support the ILO and call upon the Burmese authorities to end permanently the use of forced labour.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conditions for the people living in relocation or concentration camps in areas of Burma controlled by the State Peace and Development Council. [157471]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI am concerned about the reported poor condition of relocation camps in Burma. Most of the major relocation sites are in areas where there is still ongoing fighting, so accurate estimates and independent assessment of the conditions (or numbers involved) is not possible. From the information that we have, conditions in most of the camps are reported to be very poor—inadequate housing, medical and educational facilities. Separation of villagers from their farmlands, and lack of alternative land in or near the camps, also causes great hardship.
In areas of Karenni State where there are now ceasefires some of the former relocation sites have been largely abandoned as people have returned to their villages. Some of those remaining, particularly where the relocation site is on the edge of a town, do so (semi) voluntarily because educational and other opportunities in the town are actually better than in their village.
We provide support to the United Nation High Commission for Refugees who are working to improve the conditions in camps.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communication there has been between(a) his Department, (b) the European Union and (c) the United Nations and Aung San Suu Kyi since May 2003. [157721]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienSince May 2003, the Burmese regime has repeatedly rejected my attempts to speak to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also failed to respond to repeated requests by our ambassador to call on her. The UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, has met Aurig San Suu Kyi on three separate occasions since May 2003, most recently on 2 March 2004. The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro, has seen Aung San Suu Kyi once since May 2003.
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§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of(a) extra-judicial killings and (b) forced labour in the ethnic minority states of Burma since January. [157728]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI am concerned about reports of extra-judicial killings and forced labour in the ethnic minority states of Burma since January. These issues and other human rights violations have been highlighted by successive UK co-sponsored UN Resolutions, most recently at the UN General Assembly in December 2003. These issues will remain a strong focus for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro and UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail. We will work to ensure that these issues are addressed at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2004.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of land confiscation by the Burmese Government; and what representations he has made about it. [157729]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI am concerned about reports of land confiscation by the Burmese Government. The confiscation of land by armed forces and other human rights violations have been highlighted by successive UK co-sponsored UN Resolutions, most recently at the UN General Assembly in December 2003. These issues will remain a strong focus for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro and UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail. We will work to ensure that these issues are addressed at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2004.